Recipe - Spiced Indian Tea

Masala Chai (Spiced Tea) is made by boiling Black tea leaves along with fragrant spices in water and milk. It is always drunk sweet and preceded with crisp, oily fritters.

I have fond memories of my childhood – of drinking this heady brew when we journeyed through the Ghats; when our train would stop at a station on a cold winters’ morning. You could smell the scent of the wheat fields in the distance. And while we quivered in the crisp air, we were handed a small glass of steaming, fragrant chai. We would wrap out palms around the hot glass and sip its spiced deliciousness. I loved having my Chai with a crisp toasted cake rusk that was smothered with butter.

Other times we would stay indoors in the rainy Monsoons, while it bucketed down outside, we would play indoor games like Carom or Snakes and Ladders while Grandma brewed up some Chai and brought it to us along with crispy Onion Bhajis – ahhh…it was a marriage made in Heaven!

Recipe (Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS

Black Tea Leaves – 2 tsp

Water – 4 cups

Milk – 1 cup

Sugar – 5 to 6 tsp

Ginger – 1 inch piece

Cardamom pods – 4 or 5

Cinnamon stick – 1 piece (or 1/2 tsp)

Star Anise – 1 flower

Cloves – 1 or 2

Nutmeg – 1/4 tsp

METHOD

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 3 minutes. Strain into glasses and enjoy hot!